Episode 073 – The Lord’s Prayer Pt 9: Own Iti.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-171{ color: #515151;}i.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-171:hover { color: #e00400;}i.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-171.icon-hover-animation-pulsate:after {-webkit-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);-moz-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);}Key Passage(s): Matthew 6:9-13Throughout this series, we’ve looked at all of the various aspects of the Lord’s Prayer. In this final episode of the series, we look at several methods in which we can pray and utilize the Lord’s Prayer on a regular basis to take what we’ve learned and put into a practice. And in doing so, really owning this prayer in our lives so that it governs the way the way we think and live, and ultimately how we follow Jesus in the world today.

Discussion Questions

What was your biggest takeaway from the teaching?

Overall, what has been the most significant learning for you from this series?

What has been the most challenging aspect of the Lord’s Prayer for you? Why?

Which part of the Lord’s Prayer is your biggest area of strength? How so?

How would you live life differently if you had the Lord’s Prayer on the forefront of your mind and heart daily?

Out of the options given for engaging the Lord’s Prayer, which one was most helpful to you?

How do you plan on walking this out your prayer life?

For Further Study

The Lord and His Prayer by N.T. Wright 

ORD, Teach Us by William H. Willimon & Stanley Hauerwas 

The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard – Chapter 7 deals specifically with the Lord’s Prayer

Episode 072 – The Lord’s Prayer Pt 8: Temptation and Deliverancei.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-174{ color: #515151;}i.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-174:hover { color: #e00400;}i.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-174.icon-hover-animation-pulsate:after {-webkit-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);-moz-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);}Key Passage(s): Matthew 6:13; Matthew 4:1-11; Matthew 26:36-46The part of the Lord’s Prayer that asks God not to “lead us into temptation but deliver us from evil” has created a lot of confusion. Even Pope Francis has sought to modify this language. Is God in the habit of leading us into testing and temptation? Is there a difference between the two? And how are we to understand the moments when Jesus was tempted? In this episode, we answer these questions, as well as addressing the reality that when we focus on Jesus’s divinity at the expense of his humanity, we fail to understand how brutally difficult his own trials and temptations were. But when we understand this, and what he did to overcome, we learn how to do the same in our own lives.

Discussion Questions

What was your biggest takeaway from the teaching?

Knowing that there is a difference between temptation and testing, does this change your perspective on this part of the Lord’s Prayer? How so?

When have you gone through a situation where you felt like God was testing you? What was it? Do you feel you were faithful to God’s will through it? What did you learn through it?

Knowing that temptation is something we all face, when are you most susceptible to temptation? Do you have a strategy to deal with temptation that prevents you from falling prey to it?

Like Jesus, when have you gone through a test that you asked the Father to take away from you? What happened, and what did you learn?

Knowing you may not see the victory of your testing in this life, will you look at things differently? Will you act differently?

How will you begin living out the truths of this teaching this week?

For Further Study

The Lord and His Prayer by N.T. Wright 

LORD, Teach Us by William H. Willimon & Stanley Hauerwas 

The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard – Chapter 7 deals specifically with the Lord’s Prayer

Episode 071 – The Lord’s Prayer Pt 7: Forgiveness Has a Sourcei.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-177{ color: #515151;}i.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-177:hover { color: #e00400;}i.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-177.icon-hover-animation-pulsate:after {-webkit-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);-moz-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);}Key Passage(s): Matthew 6:12; Matthew 6:14-15Jesus told us to pray, “Forgive us our debts as we have forgiven our debtors.” Jesus’s assumption is that we would be forgiving others in the manner in which God has forgiven us. But what happens when we’ve been wronged by someone and we’re struggling to forgive them? What do we do when the pain is so real that we can’t stomach the thought of forgiveness? That’s what we tackle in this episode as we seek to understand the nature of forgiveness. And in doing so, we learn how to forgive others well so that we can not only experience the power and freedom of forgiveness, but faithfully live out this command of Jesus from the Lord’s Prayer.

Discussion Questions

What was your biggest takeaway from the teaching?

How does our awareness of how much we’ve been forgiven by God help us in forgiving others? Why is this awareness still not enough for many people?

What are some of the things you learned about what forgiveness is not? Where do you personally find comfort in these?

What are some of the things you learned about what forgiveness is? How will this alter your ability or desire to forgive more effectively?

Forgiving can be very hard work. After hearing this teaching, what do you believe is your primary roadblock to forgiving others well?

Is there anyone you need to forgive? And in what way do you need to ask God – the source of forgiveness – to help you do this?

How will you begin living out the truths of this teaching this week?

For Further Study

Make Your Mark by Brad Gray – Chapter 3 deals specifically with forgiveness. 

As We Forgive by Catherine Claire Larson 

Teaching Series Episode 015 – Loving God By Loving Others 

The Lord and His Prayer by N.T. Wright 

LORD, Teach Us by William H. Willimon & Stanley Hauerwas 

The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard – Chapter 7 deals specifically with the Lord’s Prayer

Episode 070 – The Lord’s Prayer Pt 6: Our Daily Breadi.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-180{ color: #515151;}i.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-180:hover { color: #e00400;}i.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-180.icon-hover-animation-pulsate:after {-webkit-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);-moz-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);}Key Passage(s): Matthew 6:11“Give us today our daily bread.” Sounds pretty straightforward, right? But what does it mean to ask for daily bread? How do we bring our requests before God? And what should we be asking for in the first place? These questions and more are the subject of this episode as we seek to understand what Jesus meant by the phrase, “our daily bread,” and what it means to faithfully live out this aspect of the Lord’s Prayer.

Discussion Questions

What was your biggest takeaway from the teaching?

How would you assess your prayer life? Where do you desire to grow?

In what ways did this episode challenge, encourage, and/or help you as you think through your prayer life?

N.T. Wright wrote, “The danger with the prayer for bread is that we get there too soon.” Why is it important to ground yourself in the first part of the prayer before you get to this segment?

How were you challenged by the communal aspect of this prayer – “Give us this day our daily bread?”

How will you begin living out the truths of this teaching this week?

For Further Study

Teaching Series Episode 013 – Grounded In Gratitude

The Lord and His Prayer by N.T. Wright

LORD, Teach Us by William H. Willimon & Stanley Hauerwas 

The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard – Chapter 7 deals specifically with the Lord’s Prayer

Episode 069 – The Lord’s Prayer Pt 5: Heaven Comes Herei.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-183{ color: #515151;}i.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-183:hover { color: #e00400;}i.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-183.icon-hover-animation-pulsate:after {-webkit-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);-moz-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);}Key Passage(s): Matthew 6:9-10; Matthew 6:33; Psalm 115:16Many people believe that the point of Jesus was to rescue us from our sins so that we can leave earth and go to heaven. But the problem is that Jesus doesn’t spend his time teaching about how we from here (earth) to go there (heaven), but about getting there (heaven) to come here (earth). Hold on tight because without question, the content of this episode is the most paradigm shifting aspect of the Lord’s Prayer. And my hope is that we may finally understand what we’ve been praying all along when we’ve said, “your kingdom come, your will be done, here on earth as it is in heaven!”

Discussion Questions

What was your biggest takeaway from the teaching?

Has your primary understanding of the Christian life been about how we get from earth to heaven? How has this teaching changed or challenged that perspective?

What are the implications of focusing so much on getting to heaven that we fail to live out Jesus’s instructions to join him in bringing heaven to earth?

Knowing that we each have a kingdom, a realm of influence, how have you been running your kingdom? Have you been orienting your kingdom to The Kingdom, or have you been more focused on building your kingdom?

What are some tangible ways you can orient your kingdom to The Kingdom in order for God’s will and way to advance in and through you to impact those your kingdom reaches?

How will you begin living out the truths of this teaching this week?

For Further Study

Heaven & Earth by The Bible Project 

Matthew: Episode 21 – Weeds and Wheat by Tim Mackie (Exploring My Strange Bible Podcast)

The Lord and His Prayer by N.T. Wright 

LORD, Teach Us by William H. Willimon & Stanley Hauerwas 

The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard – Chapter 1 deals with the Kingdom of Heaven and Chapter 7 deals specifically with the Lord’s Prayer

Episode 068 – The Lord’s Prayer Pt 4: Holy Be Your Namei.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-186{ color: #515151;}i.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-186:hover { color: #e00400;}i.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-186.icon-hover-animation-pulsate:after {-webkit-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);-moz-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);}Key Passage(s): Matthew 6:9; Exodus 3:15; Ezekiel 36:23, 26-27Hallowed be your name. What in the world does it mean to “hallow” someone’s name? And what is the significance of God’s name? Furthermore, why does Jesus tell us it needs to be hallowed in the first place? As with every aspect of the Lord’s Prayer, this one is loaded with meaning and rooted in Old Testament stories in order to help us understand the absolute necessity of God’s name being recognized in the world, and how our lives bear witness to the holiness of His great name.

Discussion Questions

What was your biggest takeaway from the teaching?

When was the last time someone spoke into your life in a meaningful way (like the letters written for Brad’s son)?

How would you describe your relationship with the Bible?

How would you describe the difference between devotional Bible reading and digging deep Bible reading?

What are some of the barriers keeping you from discussing God’s Words with others?

What is one way you’d like to grow in becoming more intentional with God’s Word?

How will you begin living out the truths of this teaching this week?

For Further Study

Teaching Series Episode 004 – You Are The Message 

The Lord and His Prayer by N.T. Wright 

LORD, Teach Us by William H. Willimon & Stanley Hauerwas 

The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard – Chapter 7 deals specifically with the Lord’s Prayer

Episode 067 – The Lord’s Prayer Pt 3: Always Near Usi.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-189{ color: #515151;}i.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-189:hover { color: #e00400;}i.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-189.icon-hover-animation-pulsate:after {-webkit-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);-moz-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);}Key Passage(s): Matthew 6:9; Psalm 113:4-6; Deuteronomy 31:1, 6When Jesus told us to pray, “Our Father who is in heaven,” it is literally recorded in Greek as, “in the heavens.” Why would Jesus be talking about God being “in the heavens?” What did this mean to the people first hearing Jesus say this? And what does this mean for us in our relationship with God and in our understanding of “Heaven?” All of this and more is addressed in this teaching as we explore not only the God who rules and reigns over all, but the God who is ever present to us in the midst of our circumstances and our lives.

Discussion Questions

What was your biggest takeaway from the teaching?

Was it helpful learning how the ancients viewed the cosmos? Does this help you to better understand any other passages in the Bible that weren’t discussed in this teaching?

Being reminded that God rules and reigns the world, what comfort, joy, or challenge arises in you?

When you think of heaven, do you think of a place far, far away? Has this negatively shaped your view of God in some way?

In this teaching we learned that God is present and always near us. How will this change the way you pray, if at all? How does this change the way you live?

How can you begin walking out the truths of this teaching this week?

For Further Study

The Lord and His Prayer by N.T. Wright 

LORD, Teach Us by William H. Willimon & Stanley Hauerwas 

The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard – Chapter 3 deals with “the heavens” and Chapter 7 deals specifically with the Lord’s Prayer

Episode 066 – The Lord’s Prayer Pt 2: Our Fatheri.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-192{ color: #515151;}i.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-192:hover { color: #e00400;}i.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-192.icon-hover-animation-pulsate:after {-webkit-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);-moz-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);}Key Passage(s): Matthew 6:9; Exodus 4:22-23; Isaiah 63:16The Lord’s Prayer begins with “Our Father.” Whoa! In Jesus’s day, you couldn’t begin a prayer more explosively than that. It’s been said that when Jesus told us to address God as “Our Father” that he was introducing a new way to approach God. Nope! The notion of God as “Father” had been deeply rooted in Israel’s story for fifteen hundred years. What Jesus was doing was calling for revolution, and that revolution would begin as a result of his ministry. The revolution is still underway, and Jesus’s invitation for us is to join it. And it all begins by saying the words, “Our Father.”

Discussion Questions

What was your biggest takeaway from the teaching?

How did this episode help you better understand the explosiveness of what Jesus was communicating when he called his followers to address God as “Our Father,” knowing the history of God as “Father” beginning with the Exodus?

Knowing that this prayer begins with “Our Father,” how does the communal nature of this prayer affect how you will approach this prayer going forward?

When you pray, do you take into consideration how the answering of your prayer could affect someone else’s life?

Is it challenging for you to address God as “Father?” Why or why not?

Where do you need to reformat or enhance your view of God as Father as a result of what you learned in this teaching?

How can you begin walking out the truths of this teaching this week?

For Further Study

The Lord and His Prayer by N.T. Wright 

LORD, Teach Us by William H. Willimon & Stanley Hauerwas 

The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard – Chapter 7 deals specifically with the Lord’s Prayer

Episode 065 – The Lord’s Prayer Pt 1: Daily, Boldly, Collaborativelyi.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-195{ color: #515151;}i.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-195:hover { color: #e00400;}i.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-195.icon-hover-animation-pulsate:after {-webkit-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);-moz-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);}Key Passage(s): Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:1-2; 1 Chronicles 29:10-11The Lord’s Prayer is the most well-known and well-loved prayer in history. But how well do we know the Lord’s Prayer? Sure, most of us can recite it off the top of our heads (and probably in the King James with its “thy’s” and “art’s”), but do we really understand what Jesus was saying and teaching us when he gave this prayer? I know I sure didn’t. But when I began to understand this prayer in context, I was awestruck by how deep and significant it was. And it compelled me to pray more intentionally, live more faithfully, and love Jesus more fully. My hope is that this series will help you do the same.

Discussion Questions

What was your biggest takeaway from the teaching?

What has been your history with the Lord’s Prayer? Did you grow up saying it?

Prior to this teaching, what have been your thoughts on the Lord’s Prayer?

Which aspect of the prayer are you most excited to learn more about?

Do you find prayer challenging? How so?

With the suggestion for praying this prayer daily, boldly, and collaboratively, how will engage the prayer differently going forward?

Are there any other truths from this teaching that you want to begin living out this week?

For Further Study

The Lord and His Prayer by N.T. Wright 

LORD, Teach Us by William H. Willimon & Stanley Hauerwas 

The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard – Chapter 7 deals specifically with the Lord’s Prayer

Episode 064 – Bread of Life Pt 8: The Holy Spirit and Pentecosti.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-198{ color: #515151;}i.fb-icon-element.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-198:hover { color: #e00400;}i.fontawesome-icon.fb-icon-element-198.icon-hover-animation-pulsate:after {-webkit-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);-moz-box-shadow:0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgba(255,255,255,0.1), 0 0 10px 10px #333333, 0 0 0 10px rgba(255,255,255,0.5);}Key Passage(s): Exodus 19:16-19; Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:3-5; Acts 2:1-16The most monumental event following the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus was the giving of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. It was a day that changed things forever. And yet, most people don’t know how deep and significant this event was. For example, did you know that Pentecost wasn't a new festival? Or that it didn’t take place in the Upper Room? Or that it was connected to the Exodus? These details and much more are the subject matter for this episode as we conclude our “Bread of Life” series and comprehend the implications of Acts 2 in light of the resurrection!

Discussion Questions

What was your biggest takeaway from the teaching?

What surprised you most about the conversation on Pentecost?

Where were you reminded anew of the importance of understanding the Old Testament when reading the New Testament?

It was mentioned that salvation is never the end game, but the beginning. Shalom is the end game and discipleship is what we’re called to do as faithful followers of Jesus? How did this hit you? What are the implications if this is true?

How can you begin living out the truths of this teaching this week?

For Further Study

Jesus and the Jewish Festivals by Gary M. Burge 

Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus by Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg – Chapters 8 and 9 deal with the content of this episode.

Back to the Future – Yes, I did this as a Teaching Series episode, but it was originally a sermon I did that encompasses last week’s and this week’s Teaching Series episodes.